Golden: Guard Zyon Pullin Will 'Raise the Level' of Gators Squad

The Gators will operate at full form for the first time on Friday with the return of a premier transfer addition.

After serving a three-game suspension for his participation in the Portsmouth Invitational — a showcase designed for outgoing collegiate seniors — as he weighed his prospects on the professional market, guard Zyon Pullin will put on orange and blue game threads for the first time this season to join the Gators' backcourt against Florida State.

"Super excited," Pullin exclaimed when asked about his Florida debut on Thursday. "Sitting these past three games, you know, now I get to put that jersey on. So, I'm looking forward to it."

Todd Golden and Co. share Pullin's eagerness for his injection into the lineup. There is a pep in everyone's step for his return, according to the head coach.

"This was a guy that was really borderline going to go play pro or not, and decided to come back and play college, and whenever you get to add a guy like that, it's going to be really beneficial, and I think he's going to raise the level of our team, for sure," Golden stated when asked about the anticipation level for his debut.

"He's not replacing anybody. He's just going to come in and make everybody's job and lives a little easier. He's going to be really comfortable in these environments."

Florida re-structured its offense around the backcourt in year two under Golden, better aligning with the system he operated at San Francisco to elevate the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998 during the 2021-22 campaign. 

In doing so, Golden plucked several multifaceted guard prospects from the transfer portal, but none as productive as Pullin was for Mike Magypo's UC Riverside Highlanders last year. 

Pullin finished with 18.3 points per game, 4.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per contest, shining as a well-rounded prospect who can operate in a litany of roles. 

He primarily served as the team's top scoring option, where he created for himself and others through dribble penetration, a smooth left-handed jumper and a patent midrange floater in the lane. The three-level scoring output and facilitation ability — alongside his above-average defensive skills — made him the highly regarded floor general the Gators yearned for in their portal process.

Golden tabbed the fifth-year talent as a more "natural point guard" than Walter Clayton Jr., allowing the latter to slide back to the two-guard spot occasionally — where he can maximize his upside. As a result, Pullin's infusion into the lineup creates a similar backcourt dynamic to the one the head coach held at USF with Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz.

"It's really comforting having guys like that," Golden said in an exclusive interview with All Gators this offseason. "Zyon's a fifth-year senior, played a million games. I think he used the second most amount of ball screens in Division I last year. So he's so comfortable in that space and had a bunch of 20-point games and averaged 18 a night. 

"Then, Walter is a fantastic scorer. He just can really fill it up from all over the court and those guys just make you better coaches man. It's the bottom line. They just make my life a little easier."

Adding in the presence of Riley Kugel, Golden is content with his unit's ability to produce on the offensive end more consistently after struggling to do so at times in his inaugural season in charge of the program.

"When you have three guys on the perimeter that can make plays off the bounce, that can use a ball screen, that can facilitate for others and finish and score, like it just makes you so much more potent, offensively."

However, arguably, the most essential asset Pullin brings to the table is his proven track record of producing in close games down the stretch.

The Gators have struggled to find a go-to player in one-score situations. The issue predates Golden's tenure. 

However, it became clear last year as the unit fell to their opponents several times when given last-second game-tying or game-winning shot opportunities.

They looked most consistently to guard Myreon Jones, who produced at his best clip at Florida in his lone year under Golden, in the late-game situations. He failed to connect against Auburn, Kentucky and Mississippi State, just to name a few. 

Florida realized the same fate in just the second game of the year a week ago against Virginia as Clayton — despite a strong overall performance — turned the ball over twice in as many possessions to allow the Cavaliers to escape with a three-point win in the tightly contested Hall of Fame Game.

Golden is confident Pullin can provide a permanent solution in the area. He's already showcased the clutch gene once since his arrival in Gainesville, producing the game-winning bucket at the buzzer in Florida's exhibition victory over a Miami team that made the Final Four a year ago this offseason.

"He's kind of been a very good late-clock guy his whole career," he shared. "Going back to his Riverside days, he had like 3 or 4 buzzer-beaters to win games. More than anything, he's just not scared of the moment. 

"I think that's really important. He's comfortable, he's confident, and again, we talked about it after the game, him coming into the fold just adds another layer, another element to our team, and provides another threat that opponents have to be thinking about. So, it can be his night tomorrow, or he can make it easier for Riley, Walt, Will, other guys on the perimeter or inside, but just another threat out there, for sure."

How Pullin will be incorporated into the rotation is still to be seen at this stage, although it is widely expected he will take over a starting spot soon.

If that is the case, he'd likely take on the team's one-guard role, bumping Clayton to his natural two-guard position while Kugel slides to the three. Current starting wing Will Richard would move to the bench, illustrating the newfound depth the team compiled this offseason as the junior serves as an oft-utilized sixth man on the wing.

Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten will maintain their starting spots in the frontcourt.

On Tuesday, following Florida's victory over FAMU, Golden kept his cards close to the vest on the return of Pullin as it regarded his potential ascension into the starting lineup.

"Those five are going to play when he comes back, so it's just adding another really, really good, talented, mature veteran player in the mix," Golden carefully stated when asked about the benefit of keeping the current starting five intact. "You know, a point guard, a guy that can really organize and get everybody on the same page, and I think Walt's done a really nice job with what we've asked him to do in a short period of time, but Zyon coming back will make everybody on our team better. I think that's the easiest way to explain it.

"Having a guy who can be a floor general out there, a guy that's really good on-ball defender, a guy that's won 20 games in all four years in college. A guy that just really understands winning, and will be a welcome addition for us."

Pullin isn't blind to the possibility of beginning contests on the sideline. In fact, he's expected to do so against Florida State on Friday as he's eased into the rotation.

But, despite the experience and proven production he brings to the unit from his time at UC Riverside, he expressed contentment in coming off the bench if it helps him accomplish the goals he's set out for his one year at the University of Florida.

"I'll be comfortable with whatever the coaches ask of me," Pullin said on Thursday. "I told them I came here to win, to get to the tournament and make a run in March. Whatever the coaches ask of me, I'm willing to do. Whether that's start, come off the bench, whatever. I'm just looking forward to the opportunity."

The unselfishness is a team-wide trait in Pullin's eyes, making it a smooth transition to Florida's life with the multifaceted guard in the mix, no matter which starting-caliber talent is excluded from the first five.

"I think we've got a bunch of unselfish guys, people who could do a lot on the floor, whether that's another scorer or whatnot," Pullin shared. "We have a lot of guys who are selfless. The biggest thing with this team is we just want to win. That's what we talk about. We'll do whatever it takes."

Pullin's debut comes at an opportunity time for the Gators as they gear up to take on three straight Power Six opponents, starting with Florida State on Friday, Pittsburgh on Wednesday and either Baylor or Oregon State next Friday.